Roommate Resources to Find Your Best Match after the Dorms

Finding a roommate when you lived in the dorms was so simple. Your school probably assigned you a roommate, you lived together, and that was that. But once you move out of the dorms, things get a little more complicated.

Having a roommate while you are in college is beneficial for a number of reasons. For example, a roommate will split the bills with you, so it is financially responsible, and a good roommate can provide social interaction, and if you’re lucky, can turn into a good friend.

But how do you find a roommate on your own that’s a good match? You could search Craigslist to try to find someone, but there are a lot of scams and fraudulent ads on a website like this. Here are some other – more reliable – ways to find a roommate.

1. Bulletin boards on campus are a great place to post an ad asking for a roommate. These are a good option because it is very likely that another student will be the one to see your ad, instead of any random person. You can list information about yourself, where you are living (area, not address), and what you are looking for in a roommate. This is also a good place to try to find someone to sub-lease your apartment or house, if you have to move during the middle of your rental contract.

2. Roommates.com is the most popular roommate matching service on the Internet. This website provides two-way matching services, free photo profiles, and a roommate search to help you find the roommate of your dreams – or at least someone you can stand living with for a semester or two. Roommates.com has listings in cities across the nation, so chances are, you will find a roommate who lives near your school.

3. Place an ad in your school’s newspaper. Like the bulletin boards, most of the people who will see your ad are other students. The main problem with this idea is that you’ll have to pay for your ad, and the more information you include, the more it will cost. Other than that, this is a good, traditional way to find a roommate.

4. Use Twitter and Facebook for more than just profile creeping. Use your status to let others know that you are in need of a roommate. You can search these sites for people who also need a roommate if you haven’t already found a place on your own. You probably have a lot of friends on these websites, so put that social network to work and find a place to live! You can also get recommendations from your friends about potential roommates, something you might not be able to do if you find your roommate through a matching service or newspaper ad.

5. Use your apartment’s matching service. Many apartments that cater to students offer a roommate matching service. They will probably give you a questionnaire about your likes and dislikes, study habits, social preferences, etc. Then they will use this questionnaire to match you with someone else who has complimentary questionnaire responses.

Just because the university isn’t handpicking a roommate for you doesn’t mean you can’t find someone to share an apartment with you. It will take more work, but finding a roommate on your own also has benefits. You get to pick someone who you really think you will get along with, and if you don’t like someone, nobody will force you to sign a lease with them. Use these resources and follow your gut instincts when you first meet someone to find your perfect roommate.